Reading Time: 4 minutes They’re not besties yet — but the relationship between farm groups and the railways has undergone a sea change over the last few years. After years of vociferous complaints about poor rail service, the federal government cracked the whip in 2014, ordering CP and CN Rail to move one million tonnes of grain weekly or […] Read more
Working on the railroad — and getting grain moving
Things aren’t perfect but railways and farm groups are slowly rebuilding trust after years of conflict
‘A humble guy’ chosen as Canada’s first ‘flagship farmer’
Reading Time: 3 minutes In many ways, Stephen Hughes has become the face of the sustainable beef movement in Canada. He’s spoken at conferences, given numerous interviews, and appeared in videos and commercials for McDonald’s sustainable beef initiative. Now the fast-food giant has named the Longview rancher the first “flagship farmer” in Canada. But while he’s willing to stand […] Read more
A normal crop year went out the window in 2019
It seems pretty much everyone had severe weather challenges this year, but they came in many forms
Reading Time: 5 minutes Weather always gets talked about, but usually there are other issues that mark the year gone by. But this was a year when the rain gauge and thermometer were front and central from spring to harvest. Or rather, what passed for harvest. With about 1.6 million acres of crops still in the field, the story […] Read more
The Year That Was: Fake meat takes off
Many ranchers view faux burgers as a threat, but others argue they’re a sign that opportunities abound
Reading Time: 3 minutes Faux burgers have been around for a while but in 2019, some sort of switch was flipped and all of a sudden everyone was talking about them. The pivotal moment came when the food-service industry decided to embrace Beyond Meat — which more closely mimics the look and texture of actual hamburgers, said Sylvain Charlebois, […] Read more
Fifty provincial agriculture ministry staff get layoff notices
Many of those losing their jobs are scientists and their work greatly benefited farmers, says a retired researcher
Reading Time: 3 minutes In the second week of December, about 50 staff at Alberta Agriculture and Forestry got a pre-Christmas delivery no one would want — they were laid off. Details have not been released but among those affected are engineers, agrologists, and managers. “This is just another example of where they have taken some significant steps backwards,” […] Read more
The kids are alright — and they have big ideas for feeding the world
Reading Time: 4 minutes Three up-and-coming Albertans were among 100 young global leaders who met in Brasilia, Brazil, to discuss sustainable solutions to feeding the planet. Grace Heuver, Emmett Sawyer and Kelcie Miller-Anderson were chosen to attend last month’s Bayer Youth Ag Summit — a biannual event that brings together youth aged 18 to 25 to discuss and develop […] Read more
Quality counts and tweets have an impact, grain reps on trade mission learn
A whirlwind tour of Central and South America was an eye-opener for Magrath producer Gary Stanford
Reading Time: 4 minutes Your social media pictures and tweets can actually have an impact on the international grain trade. This was one of the many things Alberta Wheat chair Gary Stanford learned on a two-week New Crop Mission to Central and South America last month. “South American countries are very happy with Canadian wheat, because they have learned […] Read more
Alberta Pork celebrates 50 years — and looks back at many, many changes
It’s almost easier to ask what hasn’t changed in the pork sector in the last half-century
Reading Time: 4 minutes The changes just keep on coming as the organization representing Alberta’s pork producers marks its 50th birthday. The industry has been transformed again and again since Alberta Pork was formed in 1969, said executive director Darcy Fitzgerald. The top one is the number of producers. “We used to have a lot of farms with few […] Read more
New body needed to thwart threat of livestock epidemic, says group
Livestock groups and processors back creation of Animal Health Canada to prevent a devastating disease outbreak
Reading Time: 4 minutes Avian influenza, H1N1 flu and now African swine fever have all posed threats to Canada’s livestock sector. And while there are a host of regulations overseen by numerous organizations, it’s a patchwork that leaves the country vulnerable to a devastating disease outbreak, says a group representing both livestock, dairy and poultry associations and leading meat […] Read more
Alberta Beef Producers revamps, elects first female chair
Kelly Smith-Fraser will lead the implementation of major changes for the 50-year-old cattle group
Reading Time: 4 minutes Alberta Beef Producers is entering a new decade with a brand new look. Along with a major overhaul of its structure — shrinking its board, roster of delegates and number of meetings — the organization is being led by a woman for the first time in its 50-year history. New chair Kelly Smith-Fraser paid tribute […] Read more
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